Signors to t



(No Model.) A D 8U A B LIN'N CARPET SWBEPBR.

Patented Nov. 17, 1896.

NrTED STATES `ATENT Prien.

ALLEN D. LI'NN AND ALLEN B. LlNN, O F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, AS-SIGNORS TO T. STEWART IVHITE, THOMAS FRIANT, GAIUS W. PER- KINS, ANDCHARLES J. REED, OF SAME PLACE.

CARPET-SWEEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,451, datedNovemberl'?, 1896i.

4 Application led February 24,1896. Serial No. 580,312. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that-we, ALLEN D. LINN and ALLEN B. LINN, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and Stateof Michigan, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinCarpet-Sweepers; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

Our invention relates to improvements incarpet-sweepers, and its objectis to provide the same with certain new and useful features hereinaftermore fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims,reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure lis anend elevation of a device partsin all of the i able end of a spring-armD', formed of a portion of the lower side of the guard-bar D by dividingthe same longitudinally from near one end to a point beyond the saidstud, and thence downward, and springing the free end of the arm thusformed downward. Said spring-arms are adjusted to press the brushdownward toward the carpet. To automatically raise the brush-shaft andreduce its contact with the carpet more or less according to theresistance of the surface acted upon, a vibrating lever F is pivotedupon the stud E, to the upper part of which lever is pivoted the bale l.Said lever is provided with a projection G, consisting of a suitableroll, which engages the upper edge of the guard-bar, which thus forms atrack for said roll. A hook I-l is also provided on said lever, engagingthe Vouter side of said guardbar to hold the lever close to the same andin a vertical plane. Projections F near the upper ends of said leversengage the bale to hold the same in a vertical position. To increase theaction of the levers F, a slight depression Dl may be formed in theupper side of the guard-bars, the inclined sides'of which cause thelevers to raise and more rapidly increase their elevation as theresistance increases.

When the machine is propelled over any smooth `hard surface, theresistance to its forward movement is slight, and the downward pressureof the arms D will hold the levers F in a nearly or quite verticalposition and position is most suitable for such surfaces.

`Should the device pass over any softer carpet, the increasingresistance to the progress of the device at once requires morepropelling force to be applied to the handle ll and in a horizontaldirection. This tends to thrust the hangers forward to an inclinedposition. The projection G thus traverses the nature ofthe surfacetraversed, and the brush is automatically adj usted according to suchresistance solely, without attention or voluntary action of any kind onthe part of the operator. the brush to be raised and the resistance toforward or backward movement of the machine increases with increasedsoftness-of the carpet traversed an. automatic adjustment is made thatwill instantly adapt the machine to any surface traversed thereby.

L L are the dust-pans pivoted near their inner angles at M and operatedby a single flexible wire folded at the middle and having divergin gcurved arms J J, and pivoted at its ends to the respective pansdiagonally upward As the softer carpets require IOO and outward from thepivots M and near the same. Said arms J J spring toward each other andhold said pans closed. The folded middle part J of said spring projectsthrough a transverse slot A in the case, and the seutcheon-plate isprovided with projections K K opposite each end of said slot. By seizingone of said projections K and the part J and pressing them toward eachother a longitudinally-downward pressure is exerted on the arm J at thatside, and the pan toward which it is moved will be opened. Thus each panj will be opened alternately by moving the upper part of the spring inthe direction of each pan, respectively.

Having thus fully described our invention, what We claim isl. In acarpet-sweeper in combination with a case, a brush, andvertically-movable supports for said brush, levers attached to saidsupports, a bale attached te said levers, and a support for said leversattached to the case, whereby the brush is raised proportionately as thepropelling` power applied to the bale is increased substantially asdescribed.

2. In a carpet-sweeper, in combination with a case and brush, flexiblearms to press the brush in contact with the surface acted upon,vibrating levers for raising` said brush, and a bale connected to saidlevers and automat-` ically operating the same by the power applied topropel the machine, substantially as de-s scribed. l

3. In acarpet-sweeper, acase, flexible arms f attached at one end tosaid case, a brush journaled on the movable ends of said arms andpressed downward thereby, levers pivoted to said arms, supports for saidlevers and a bale pivoted to said levers, substantially as described.

4L. Ina carpet-sweeper, a case, liexible arms attached to said case atone end, a brush journaled on the free ends of said arms and presseddownward thereby, vibrating levers pivoted to said arms, projections onsaid levers, a track engaged by said projections, and a bale pivoted tosaid levers and operating the same, substantially as described.

5. In a carpet-sweeper, a ease, guard-bars divided to form flexiblearms, a brush journaled on said arms, levers pivoted to said arms, rollson said levers engaging and traversing the upper edge of saidguard-bars, and abale pivoted to said levers, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a carpet-sweeper, a case, guard-bars attached to the same, anddivided longitudinally and laterally forming spring-arms, studs in thefree ends of said arms, a brush and levers journaled on said studs,rolls and hooks on said levers engaging and traversing said guard-bars,and a bale pivoted to said levers, substantially as described.

7. In a carpet-sweeper,a case having atransverse slot, pans pivoted insaid case, a spring folded at the middle and projecting through saidslot, and having diverging arms pivoted to said pans,whereby said pansare alternately opened by moving said folded end laterally in said slot,substantially as described.

8. In a carpet-sweeper, a case having a transverse slot, ascutcheon-plate having proj ections opposite the ends of said slot,dust-pans pivoted in said ease near their inner angles a spring foldedat the middle and projecting upward through said slot and laterallymovable therein, and having diverging springarms pivoted to said pansabove the pivots thereof, whereby said pans are held closed andalternately opened substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

' ALLEN D. LINN. ALLEN B. LINN. Vitnesses:

Louis GOHLKE, LUTHER V. MoULToN.

